Governor McDonnell Announces Recipients of 2013 “Governor’s Public Service Awards”
Dawn Eischen, Virginia Department of Transportation
Since joining VDOT in 2005, Dawn Eischen committed herself to service following major natural disasters. When a storm strikes, you will often find her being one of the first to volunteer, for the American Red Cross, wherever it may lead her. Dawn utilized her experience in public affairs and communications during the Hurricane Sandy aftermath to improve intra-agency communication with first responders. . For two weeks she played a key role in helping communicate critical information to the media and public in New York City. Dawn also spends her time visiting nursing homes with her therapy dog, Ginger, for the Richmond-area nonprofit Caring Canines. Her work over the last seven years strengthens the mission of Hope Animal-Assisted Crisis Response, a national group that sends teams to comfort disaster victims.